ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs held their first full-squad workout of training camp Wednesday without offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, who remained with his family following the shooting of his wife — allegedly by their son — at their Virginia home last weekend.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid said after the workout that Mia Bieniemy had been released from the intensive care unit, where she was being treated for multiple gunshot wounds. But there was no timetable for when Eric Bieniemy would be back with the team.
“She's making progress,” Reid said, “so we're happy about that.”
Elijah Zion Bieniemy, the 27-year-old son of the couple, was arrested in connection with the late-Sunday shooting. He was charged with malicious wounding, use of a firearm in commission of a felony and discharge of a firearm inside a dwelling, and was being held without bond Wednesday at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center.
Elijah Bieniemy has a court date to hear motions scheduled for Thursday. His preliminary hearing date is Aug. 31.
Eric Bieniemy returned earlier this year to the Chiefs, where he experienced his greatest success as an assistant. He was instrumental in Kansas City reaching three Super Bowls and winning two of them before departing for the Washington Commanders in 2023, where he had wanted to build upon his resume in the hopes of landing a head coaching job.
Bieniemy was part of Ron Rivera's staff that was let go following that season, though. He spent one season as offensive coordinator at UCLA before spending last season coaching the running backs with the Chicago Bears.
However long he misses training camp is noteworthy, given Bieniemy is trying to get up to speed with any changes to Reid's playbook over the past few years. But the Chiefs are uniquely suited to press on without him during an important part of training camp.
Not only do they have continuity on their coaching staff but have veteran leaders on the offensive side of the ball.
Pass game coordinator Joe Bleymaier, who has been with the Chiefs for the past decade and is widely considered a rising star in the profession, has assumed many of Bieniemy's responsibilities. Others have fallen upon veteran offensive line coach Andy Heck, who has held that job ever since Reid's initial Kansas City coaching staff was put together following the 2012 season.
There's also the fact that Reid has a heavy hand in running the Chiefs offense. He receives plenty of input from his coordinators, but it is ultimately Reid who calls the plays on gameday, and who has the ear of quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
As for the two-time MVP, who is coming off reconstructive surgery on his left knee, Mahomes knows the Kansas City offense as well as anybody besides his head coach. And when you add in veterans such as tight end Travis Kelce, offensive linemen Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith, and wide receivers Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy, there is plenty of experience out on the field.
“We’ll be able to keep it moving here,” Reid said.
Meanwhile, Mahomes looked sharp in his first 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 work of camp Wednesday, even though the Chiefs won't have pads on for several more days. At one point, he zipped a pass between two defenders to Kelce for a nice gain in the red zone.
“I feel stronger than I've ever felt as far as strength and lifting and stuff like that,” Mahomes said, "so now it's just about getting that quarterback stuff down, the stuff moving in the pocket quick — making those quick movements — reacting and doing stuff like that.
“I feel like I wasn't playing my best football at the end of last year before I got hurt,” he added. “I've got to find ways to get better, kind of navigating the pocket, run the offense better, getting the ball out of my hands and letting guys make plays. So I think this injury has kind of helped me focus on those little things as I kind of get back to who I am.”
Notes: DE Ethan Downs had surgery to repair a torn ACL in his left knee and was placed on injured reserve. ... Rice (knee) and CB L'Jarius Snead (knee) participated in about half the practice before spending the rest of the time with the training staff. “That was the plan,” Reid said. ... First-round CB Mansoor Delane (shoulder) participated in most of practice in a yellow no-contact jersey.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
This undated booking photo released by the Loudoun County, Va., Sheriff's Office on Monday, July 27, 2026, shows Elijah Zion Bieniemy. (Loudoun County Sheriff's Office via AP)
FILE - Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy watches from the sidelines during an NFL football game, Oct. 1, 2023, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)
ROME (AP) — Roberto Mancini issued an apology in his first public comments Wednesday after being rehired to coach an Italy squad in crisis three years after he abandoned the same job for a lucrative contract with Saudi Arabia.
“I’m very sorry,” Mancini said. “It was like losing the woman of your life. And it means you did something that shouldn’t have been done. So I’m sorry, very sorry also for everything that happened over these last three years. … I’m going to try to bring the national team back where it belongs.”
Italy failed for a third straight time to qualify for the World Cup, prompting the resignations of federation president Gabriele Gravina and coach Gennaro Gattuso in April, shortly after a playoff defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The 61-year-old Mancini led the Azzurri to the European Championship title in 2021 but shockingly resigned as Italy coach in August 2023, taking over Saudi Arabia’s national team two weeks later.
“It was completely my fault,” Mancini said, referring to a lack of communication with Gravina.
Mancini’s first match back in charge will be against Belgium in the Nations League on Sept. 25 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. He was asked about what type of reception fans might give him.
“I realize some people will be against me,” Mancini said. “I’m hoping the squad plays well enough that maybe people will forgive me.”
Mancini was a fourth-choice option after Carlo Ancelotti and Pep Guardiola turned the job down and Andrea Pirlo was dropped as a candidate amid political concerns over a sponsorship deal with a Russian betting firm.
Italy will also face France and Turkey in its Nations League group.
Mancini can rely on players like Pio Esposito, Moise Kean and Nicolò Zaniolo in attack; Sandro Tonali and Nicolò Barella in midfield; Riccardo Calafiori and Marco Palestra at fullback; and Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal.
Center back has been an issue due to problems with Alessandro Bastoni and Francesco Acerbi.
“I don’t think we’re in such a bad state: between center forwards and wingers were have a lot of options,” Mancini said. “And I’m talking about young players who can still improve. I gave Kean his debut, so I know him very well.”
Mancini also called Zaniolo up to Italy for the first time — before he had made his debut in Serie A.
Former Leicester and Roma coach Claudio Ranieri was hired as the federation's technical director.
Ranieri said making soccer schools less expensive and more appealing for young Italians, who are gravitating toward other sports — like tennis, inspired by top-ranked Jannik Sinner — would be a priority.
“We need to bring kids back to soccer,” Ranieri said. “Our national youth teams are performing well. We need to work on enabling players on the under-21 team to make the jump to the first team; and making sure that the Italy coach has players to choose from."
Ranieri also suggested a move away from Italy's historic devotion to tactics.
“We’re great tactically, others are good technically. Abroad, there’s not so much attention on the tactical aspects like there is here," Ranieri said. "We need to go back to developing individual skills.”
Between 2018 and 2021, Mancini coached Italy to a world-record 37-match unbeaten run.
However, a 1-0 semifinal playoff loss to then-67th-ranked North Macedonia at home in 2022 meant that the Azzurri again missed out on the World Cup.
Mancini nevertheless kept his position before surprisingly quitting in August 2023. He left Saudi Arabia in 2024 and was most recently coach at Al-Sadd in Qatar, before departing last month.
Mancini also previously steered Inter Milan and Manchester City to league titles.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Italy's new national soccer team coach Roberto Mancini pose during a news conference, Wednesday July 29, 2026, in Rome. (Alfredo Falcone/LaPresse via AP)
FILE - Saudi Arabia's head coach Roberto Mancini stands for the national anthems ahead of the Asian Cup Group F soccer match between Saudi Arabia and Thailand at Education City Stadium, in Al Rayyan, Qatar, Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi, file)
Italy's new national soccer team coach Roberto Mancini, right, and new technical director Claudio Ranieri pose during a news conference, Wednesday July 29, 2026, in Rome. (Alfredo Falcone/LaPresse via AP)
Italy's new national soccer team coach Roberto Mancini, right, and new technical director Claudio Ranieri pose during a news conference, Wednesday July 29, 2026, in Rome. (Alfredo Falcone/LaPresse via AP)
Giovanni Malago, right, present Italy's new national soccer team coach Roberto Mancini, center, and new technical director Claudio Ranieri during a news conference, Wednesday, July 29, 2026, in Rome. (Alfredo Falcone/LaPresse via AP)
Italy's new national soccer team coach Roberto Mancini, right, and new technical director Claudio Ranieri pose during a news conference, Wednesday July 29, 2026, in Rome. (Alfredo Falcone/LaPresse via AP)
